Tourist driver must pay $7000 to victims

Udit Choudhari, of Australia, appears before Judge Michael Turner in Queenstown District Court yesterday. Photo / ODT

An Australian tourist responsible for a three-car collision near Milford Sound in February must pay reparation to two women injured in the crash.

Udit Choudhari, 49, contractor, of Melbourne, appeared for sentencing before Judge Michael Turner in the Queenstown District Court yesterday.

After admitting careless driving causing injury to Julieta Corres and Ludmilla Fernandez, Choudhari was given permission by Judge Turner to leave the country in February - after lodging a $7000 bond in a trust account - so that reparation and probation reports could be prepared and restorative justice investigated.

Choudhari was driving a rental car with four passengers towards Te Anau about 2pm on February 1 when it crossed the centre line and collided with two oncoming vehicles.

In the first vehicle was Ms Corres, who suffered a fractured jaw and a broken leg, and Ms Fernandez, who suffered a broken nose.

Six people in the second vehicle were unhurt.

Lawyer Liam Collins said his client was ''an extremely remorseful man'' who thought about the crash every day.

Judge Turner told Choudhari his level of culpability was ''quite high''.

The rain and wet road at the time of the crash demanded that he take extra care and attention.

''You collided with two vehicles and put eight lives at risk, not including the passengers in your vehicle.''

On the charge relating to Ms Corres, Choudhari was fined $500, court costs $130, disqualified from driving for nine months and ordered to pay reparation and emotional harm reparation of $4500.

On the charge relating to Ms Fernandez, Choudhari was convicted and disqualified from driving for nine months and ordered to pay reparation and emotional harm reparation of $1500.